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Hands up, utensils down:Top Chefis back!
Portland is an amazing city filled with iconic indigenous ingredients and a strong sense of community.
This new season also comes as the restaurant industry faces aprolonged period of hardshipdue to the ongoing pandemic.
The season was also filmed in the midst ofmonths of city-wide protestsin Portland for racial justice.
Read on for everything you missed in the first three episodes.
There could not be a more perfect time to compete onTop Chef, contestantKiki Louyasays.
We can come together and support each other.
(Their favorite ingredients included fish sauce, salted anchovies, plantains, and good ol butter.)
The winning team is Sasha, Kiki, and Sara with their harissa-seared halibut dish.
Meanwhile, the Elimination Challenge is based on a favorite ingredient of the Portland area: birds!
jokes that all eyes are on [her] now that shes won both challenges.
This weeks Quickfire Challenge is brunch-based, because as Padma notes: Portland is an amazing breakfast town.
(Its stressful just watching this happen.)
The judges declare Jamie and her cheddar polenta with cajun gochujang shrimp as the winner.
The Elimination Challenge is based on two brews that Portland is known for: beer and coffee.
However, when they show up the next day to cook, theres a twist.
(Isnt there always a twist?)
The judges ultimately chose Avishar and Shota and their lobster sunomono as the winner.
Sasha and Brittannys team comes in on the bottom, and Sasha is eliminated.
(They made beer-marinated pork loin with a coffee hazelnut crumble.)
But one failure does not make me a failure.
One mistake does not make everything else invalid.
Were rooting for you, Sasha!
I didnt feel like one of us was any better than the other, she says tearfully.
But soon, its time to wipe those tears and move on to this weeks Quickfire Challenge.
The chefs must make a layered dessert inspired by Talenti Gelato Layers and they only have 45 minutes.
For the Elimination Challenge, Padma brings in Gregory Gourdet and Kwame Onwuachi, anotherTop Chefalum.
The chefs challenge is to create a dish inspired by pan-African cuisine and the local spots they toured.
(To win this challenge, it means so much to me, Dawn says.
I could not be more honored.)
On the bottom are Brittanny, Kiki, and Chris.
The judges eliminate Brittanny, who made pickled mackerel with allspice fritter.
But I think the experience is also something that you’re able to win at.
note: After publication of this article, reports of misconduct regarding contestant Gabe Erales surfaced.
you’re able to find more information about the allegationshere.
Welcome back to normal?
Portland has never really been normal.
Its a city thats perfectly imperfect.
A place where possible is still possible.
Its James Beards hometown and Americas culinary epicenter, filled withfood carts, farmers markets and award-winning restaurants.
Portland may not be for everyone, but its definitely for you.
Welcome to the new not-normal.
Welcome to Portland.Plan your visittoday.
